PEKAN: Former leaders should support their successors to help steer the country to a higher level as ensuring a country’s success does not happen overnight, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.
Najib, who is also Umno president, said “Rome was not built in a day”, and that it would take several generations to develop a country over a period of time.
Najib said a former leader who served as prime minister for 22 years seemed to have forgotten his own remarks in the past, in which he urged Umno members to support his successor in order to guarantee the country’s continued development.
“I still remember the person in his speech in the past reminding Umno members to support the person who replaced him when he stepped down because when he led, they (Umno members) were the ones who had supported him.
“Sadly, he failed to put his own advice into practice.
“If we look back, our country had six prime ministers, and each of them has been responsible in bringing the country to a certain stage or (make it) better compared to their predecessor.
“That is what I am doing now, which is known as added value,” he said in his winding up speech at the Pekan Umno divisional delegates' meeting at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Convention hall here.
In a veiled reference to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Najib said although the person might have forgotten about his remarks in the past, Najib clearly remembers it.
Najib said when he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the latter wanted him to do better than him (Abdullah) and bring the country to the next level.
“This is someone who is sincere and although he handed his position to me, he still has my respect as he is not selfish. He thinks about the future of the country.
“I adopt a similar concept and will advise my successor to also do the same to help drive the country forward.
“No leader can remain strong without the support from party members who have been always behind the leader and respective party.
“The support is crucial to allow the leader to grow and become well respected with a strong influence. Then, no one can question his leadership,” he said.
Najib, who is Pekan member of parliament, also promised that as long as Umno was in power, the Malays will not be neglected as the party will always be the “main weapon” to strengthen the community.
He also announced Pekan Umno's "Jihad191" effort to register new party members and voters to achieve the target of winning the parliamentary constituency with a majority of 40,000 in the next general election.
“Each branch has to register 30 voters between Sept 1 and Sept 30, and this is a final push to register more members and voters,” he said.